The present invention relates to an improvement in gas generators that includes the ability to direct gas flowing from the gas generator.
Ongoing attempts to shield airbags or cushions from the detrimental effects of hot gas flowing from associated gas generator are known.
Various attempts to deflect gas flow exiting from a gas generator are known. Reasons for this include protecting associated protection devices from the onset of hot and forceful gases, such as airbag cushions and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,149,192, 7,644,950, 6,595,547, 7,938,436, 7,597,351, and 7,654,566, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, disclose inflators with a variety of deflectors. Each of these designs, with regard to the resultant flow of the gases exiting from the inflator, exhibit a relatively high-energy loss, with no ability to mitigate this loss. As a result, challenges remain when attempting to mitigate the high-temperature force that is inherent in the gas produced upon actuation of the gas generator. An improvement in this regard would be an advance in the art.